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How many hours do you spend staring at your laptop each day? The answer, if you’re reading this, is probably more than you’d care to admit. In an ideal world, we’d all spend less time on our screens and more time in the ‘real’ world but, depending on your job, that may not be a realistic goal. What you can do, though, is purchase a laptop stand. Not only will it improve the way you use your laptop and reduce negative side effects such as chronic back and neck strain – it will also help keep your laptop cool.
And that’s where this guide comes in. To save you the time and effort, we’ve assembled a comprehensive list of the best laptop stands that you can buy online today. Before the list begins you’ll find a short buying guide that outlines the different types of laptop stands and explains why you need one in your life. Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin. (If not, all the more reason to buy a laptop stand).
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How to choose the best laptop stand for you
What are the different types of laptop stand?
There’s a laptop stand out there to suit every laptop, budget and lifestyle. Some laptop stands are fixed, meaning they can’t be adjusted and only serve as a platform to increase the height of your laptop. Adjustable laptop stands are more popular because the height and angle of the stand can be made to fit the user.
While some bigger and sturdier laptop stands are made for home or office use, there are also compact foldable stands that are better suited for travellers and freelancers. Additionally, some stands are designed specifically to prevent high-performance laptops from overheating, often using fans. And then there’s the much-hyped standing desk. Each type of stand has its own unique benefits (and, potentially, drawbacks) so the choice ultimately comes down to personal preference.
Are laptop stands better for posture?
No matter whether you’re working remotely, bingeing TV shows from bed or gaming on the go, it’s always important to maintain a good body position, yet while everybody knows this far from everybody practices it daily. A laptop stand can fix this; by placing your laptop on a stand, then adjusting it to the correct height and angle (as described here by the NHS) you can immediately remove the strain caused by a poor computer posture.
The work doesn’t always end there, mind you. Depending on what type of stand you choose, it may also be necessary to purchase an external keyboard and mouse in order to keep your arms in a neutral position and avoid leaning forwards over the laptop. If that applies to you, we have a list of the best wireless keyboards that should come in handy. We’ve also just polished off a guide to the best wireless mice.
Is it true that standing desks are healthier than sitting desks?
There’s a tonne of hype around standing desks these days. They may be hip but, as pointed out by the Harvard Medical School, they’re far from a cure-all for the ills of sitting at your desk all day. Make the switch from sitting-only to standing-only too quickly and you risk developing entirely new aches and pains.
And of course, the same rules apply to the angle and height of your screen in relation to your body position. Whether you sit or stand, it’s equally important to take regular breaks and move around to take the strain off your muscles.
Do laptop stands improve laptop performance?
They certainly can. Most laptop stands have ventilation grilles that promote airflow underneath the laptop. The base tends to be the hottest area of a laptop since that’s where the CPU and GPU are located, and, when lying flat on a desk, there’s nowhere for that heat to go.
Laptop stands let your machine breathe more easily, making it less likely to suffer from thermal throttling. A lot of stands use conductive materials that draw heat away from the laptop, which will make it more efficient too. And if your laptop is still too hot to handle you can opt for a powered laptop stand with built-in cooling fans.
How much should I spend on a laptop stand?
Not as much as you might think! All of the stands in our list cost less than £100, and the cheapest is only £13 – fantastic value when you consider the benefits. There are standing desks out there that cost many hundreds of pounds, and even certain custom-made units that cost thousands, but they won’t be appearing in our roundup anytime soon! Read on for our comprehensive list and find the perfect fit for you and your trusty laptop.
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Best laptop stands from only £13
1. AmazonBasics Ventilated Adjustable Laptop Stand: Sturdy, cheap and simple to use
Price: £14 | Buy now from Amazon
This AmazonBasics stand might be cheap but that doesn’t mean it lacks quality. It’s a well-made steel stand with seven adjustable angles and is strong enough to support even the weightiest of laptops. The fine-gauge metallic mesh draws heat away from your laptop’s base, while the height of the platform can be locked into seven different positions ranging from 12-35 degrees of elevation. Two metal pegs at the front keep the laptop from sliding forwards and at the rear is a handy cable organiser for keeping your desk tidy. Laptops above 13in wide will overlap on either side but this does not affect the stand’s operation – it can comfortably hold laptops up to 17in wide.
Key specs – Weight: 1.1kg; Size: 13in x 11in x 6.5in; Adjustable?: Yes, height/angle; Materials: Steel
2. Nextstand K2 Foldable Laptop Stand: Ideal for travellers and freelancers
Price: £23.50 | Buy now from Amazon
Working on the move can wreak havoc on your neck and back. If you’re constantly hunching over your laptop during the commute or at the coffee shop then the Nexstand K2 may well be the solution. Weighing a mere 249g it’s one of the lightest stands on the market, and it folds up to a fraction of its full size to fit into almost any bag. Though slim and light, its glass fiber-reinforced nylon frame holds laptops weighing up to an impressive 9kg, while the rubber feet prevent the stand from slipping on desk surfaces. With eight levels of elevation to choose from, there’s no need to hunch ever again.
Key specs – Weight: 249g ; Size: 29 x 27 x 25cm (at full height); Adjustable?: Yes, height/angle; Materials: Glass fiber-reinforced nylon, rubber
3. AmazonBasics Laptop Stand: The best no-frills laptop stand
Price: £13 | Buy now from Amazon
Here’s another bargain laptop stand courtesy of everyone’s favourite online retail superpower. The AmazonBasics Laptop Stand is, basically, a stand for your laptop. That’s it. No frills, no angled platform, no extendable legs. It’s just a metal stand that lets you raise your laptop 6.1in above your desk surface. The forward tilt and single vent (styled as an Amazon logo) improve air circulation, but won’t work wonders on hotter laptops. According to Amazon, it’s the ideal size for a 13in Apple MacBook Pro or any other laptop with a depth of 9.4in (23.8cm) or less.
Key specs – Weight: 2kg; Size: 25.6 x 23.7 x 15.5cm; Adjustable?: No; Materials: Silver-anodized metal
4. Rain Design mStand360: The most elegant stand for MacBooks
Price: £50 | Buy now from Amazon
Laptop stands don’t have to be ugly, as Rain Design’s minimalist mStand360 proves. Made from a single sheet of aluminium, this stand “conforms to all economic guidelines” and has been designed to function with all sizes of Apple MacBook, which effectively means it will work with any size of non-Apple laptop too. The platform has an elevation of 15cm (5.9in) and a slight tilt that improves air circulation around your laptop’s base. Best of all, the m360 can swivel through (you guessed it) 360 degrees, which comes in incredibly handy whenever you need to show your colleagues what’s on your screen.
Key specs – Weight: 1.4kg ; Size: 25.4 x 23.6 x 15.6cm; Adjustable?: Yes, swivelling base; Materials: Aluminium
5. Lavolta Folding Laptop Stand: The perfect stand for sitting, standing or reclining
Price: £28 | Buy now from Amazon
The highly-configurable Lavolta Folding Laptop Stand can be adjusted to suit practically any position you can think of. Its extendable legs have articulated, auto-locking joints that rotate 360-degree and at its full height it elevates your laptop by 48cm. Place it on any flat surface, raise it up and – boom! – you’ve got yourself a standing desk for less than £30. Of course, it functions perfectly well for working while seated too, or even for reclining on the sofa. The platform’s angle is fully adjustable and, on the underside, there are two USB-powered fans to provide your laptop with a continuous stream of cool air. To top it all off, there’s even a removable mouse board that doubles as a makeshift beverage holder (everyone knows that hot drinks and high-end laptops are a perfect mix).
Key specs – Weight: 1.42kg; Size: 42 x 27 x 48cm (at full height); Adjustable?: Yes, height/angle; Materials: Plastic, metal
6. TeckNet Laptop Cooling Stand: Efficient cooling for gaming laptops and workstations
Price: £15 | Buy now from Amazon
Is your laptop struggling to keep its cool? Overheating can seriously hamstring the performance of high-powered laptops, holding them back from their full potential by throttling the CPU and GPU. This cheap-as-chips TecKNet stand has the answer, though, with its dual 110mm USB-powered fans. Sealed beneath the platform’s metal mesh, the fans are surprisingly quiet and do a fantastic job of keeping thermals in check. Though not adjustable, the stand is angled for a more ergonomic working position, whether that’s on a desk or sitting in your lap.
Key specs – Weight: 798g; Size: 36 x 28 x 4.5cm; Adjustable?: No; Materials: Metal
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